"Lady With No Name, I just came by to warn you about this building. They've been trying to sell it for ten years. And I don't want you trespassing on my property and getting yourself blown up."

Annie decided to show this person she did indeed have some spunk. "You flatter yourself that I would trespass on your property. You, on the other hand, are a nosy old grouch who wants to know what's going on close to that mined property of yours, which then brings the question, what are you hiding over there with all that green grass?"

Fish blustered a bit, and said, "Women like to run barefoot through grass."

Annie drew herself up to her full height and glared at him. Then she laughed. "And ruin a fifty-dollar pedicure? You don't know much about women, do you?"

The man turned defensive. "I know enough. Well, I tried to warn you. Don't show up at my door with a snakebite."

"Don't you worry about me, Mr. Fish. I'll be sure to tell Rena Gold you said that."

Then she slammed the door so hard one of the front windows cracked down the middle.

The knock on the door made Annie smile. Myra was just shaking her head. She opened the door.

"What did you say?"

"I said go away." Annie slammed the door a second time.

A second knock sounded. Annie opened the door again. "What? Do you need me to escort you to your vehicle? Go home and trip through your land mines." She slammed the door shut again.

"Annie, I don't think that's any way to snare a man. I might be a little rusty, but I'm thinking a few kind words would maybe get you. . ."

"Is that what you think, Myra? You think I was flirting?"

"Oh, yeah," the others said in unison.

"You need some lessons," Nikki said. "Now, if you really want to get that Fish person interested in you, you're going to have to do a little sucking up. Now get out there and say something nice before he leaves."

Annie frowned. She opened the door and shouted, "Yoo-hoo, Mr. Fish, wait up a minute." She tripped down the cracked walkway and smiled. "I was. . .uh. . .wondering if you might know where I could find a pair of white boots with rhinestones?"

Little Fish looked like he'd just fallen through the rabbit hole. "Come to think of it, Miss No Name, I do know a cobbler. Walk out to the car with me, and I'll write down his name. I have to warn you, he's expensive."

"That's okay, I'm rich," Annie babbled. "And I do have a name. It's. . .it's Honoria. My friends call me Ria."

Fish grinned. He hadn't had this much fun in a long time. "How do you know Rena?"

"That's NTK. It means need to know."

"I know what it means. I used to be in the military. You look familiar. You from around here?"